Gas burning radiant heating unit



Feb. 11, 1958 H. D. STERICK 2,822,799

GAS BURNING RADIANT HEATING UNITI Filed Aug. 19, 1954 HTTOENEY.

2,822,799 GAS BURNING RADIANT HEATING UNIT 4 Harrison D. Sterick, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application August 19, 1954, Serial'No. 4501873 3 Claims. (Cl. 126-92) This invention relates to a particularly, to a heat intensifier or salamander which may be mounted either overhead, the floor of a roomyor in'a' furnace.

An outstanding disadvantage of overhead gasiheating units of conventional construction, and' similar units; for

It-ha's been estimated that only about 28. percent'of the available heat of a conventional overhead heating unit is thrown-down- .wardlyi because. ofthenatural .tendencyfor h'e'a't tosrise L A from the heating source,-even in the presence of reflectors which merely become o've'rheatd'arid' allow upward conductionaswell asr-adiation-of--heat:- I

Amobjec'tof my-invention-is to provide a nbve'ldieating unit which overhead units.

Another object of my invention is to provide a gas heating unit which enables considerably greater concentration and more directional reflection of the heat rays emanating from the unit and which substantially eliminates the flow of heat in a direction away from the space to be heated.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a burner and heat intensifier combination which is useful for overhead heaters.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an overhead heating unit embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a further modification of an overhead heating unit embodying a plurality of burners.

The steel wool mat 3 of loose, random oriented metallic fibers has the unexpected and candescent and radiates heat downwardly, somewhat like that from the sun, Whereas the top portion of mat 3 is relatively cool so that it can be safely touched by the hand. This is because the mat is sufliciently thick and dense so as to intercept substantially all the radiant heat emanating upwardly from the lower surface of the mat and reflect said heat downwardly. In short, the mat acts as an insulator to heat tending to travel in an upward direction and acts as an excellent radiator of heat in a downward direction, thus enabling over 70 percent of 2,822,799 Pate'nted Feb. 11, 1958 the availableheatto be reflected downwardly into the room through the spaces between'the radially extending portionsof burner 1. Mat 3 need not, necessarily, be made of metal but may be made of other fibrous, heatinsulating materials. V a j Instead of making mat3 in the form ofrandom oriented metallic or non-metallic fibers, a plurality of layers of screening; preferably metal'screening, may be used inburn out than a mat of loose; steel wool fibers.

In'modificationstobe'described hereinafter it should be' noted thatwhile reference is made to mats of steel woo1, -that th'e'abov'e-mentioned substitutes may be used instead: n

A modifiedform of overhead'orceiling type of heating The" flames from the burner ports play on'the bottom surface-only of mat 7,'-therefore making it red hot and radiating-heat downwardly,-whereas the upper surface,

including the' r'eflec tor and-shield 8, will remain relatively cool and will aid i.in further reflecting escaping heat in a downward direction.

Figure 3 shows a further modification of the invention embodying a plurality of burners 10, 11 and 12. While three burners are shown, it will be apparent that a smaller widely spaced radial wires of grid-like formation.

It will be apparent that instead of gas burners, other types of heating units such as oil burners may be substituted.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a highly efficient gas heating unit which is adapted to reflect heat away from walls or ceilings and thus prevent heat loss in such direction and which enables directional radiation and substantial concentration of heat rays towards the central portion of the room where desired; furthermore I have units; furthermore I have provided heating units wherein a multiple number of burners may be used for either overhead or floor mounted units.

While I have illustrated and described several specific changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and Within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

screen extending above and surrounding the flame zone of said burner, a mat of radom oriented, fine metallic fibers supported in spaced relationship above said burner housing open at its bottom and closed at its top, said .housing surrounding said mat and being perforated peripherally adjacent its top to serve as avent and reflector,

whereby said housing is kept relatively cool because of the heat insulating and the downward, heat reflective qualities of the upperportion Ofsaidmat, and saidburner having a horizontal'area less than half that of the open bottom of said housing whereby most of the heat developed is radiated downwardly, exteriorly of the burner and into the space underneath said housing. a

2. An overhead gas heating unit comprising a gas burner having an upper multi-port ed face, 'a metallic screen supported by said burner and encircling the flame zone of the burner, a mat of heat resistance, alloy steel wool fibers supported in spaced relationship above said screen and burner in generally parallel relationship to the face of the burner so that the flames from the burner will play only on the lower surface of the mat to make said surface incandescent and radiate heat downwardly, and a metallic housing open at its bottom and substantially closed at its top, said housing surrounding said mat and being perforated at its top to serve as a vent and reflector, whereby said housing is kept relatively cool because of the heat insulating and downward, heat reflective qualities of the upper portion of said mat, and said burner having a horizontal area less than half that of the open bottom of said housing whereby most of the heat developed is radiated downwardly, exteriorly of the burner and into the space underneath said housing.

3. An overhead gas heater comprising a mat of random the burner ports will play only .4 oriented, stainless steel wool, a metal, heat-reflecting housing closely surrounding the s1de and top surfaces of said mat, said housing having an open bottom and a vent opening in the top portion thereof, a multi-port gas burner surrounded by said housing and having a plurality of horizontally spaced, ported portions, spaced vertically underneath and confronting only a portion of the lower surface of said mat so that flames emanating from said ported portions will make said lower surface incandescent, said mat being sufficiently thick and dense so as to intercept substantially all the radiant heat emanating upwardly from said lower surface and reflect said heat downwardly, said burner having a horizontal area less than one half that of the open bottom of the housing, whereby most of the heat will be radiated downwardly through the spaces between said horizontally spaced ported portions so as to heat the space below said burner, and means for maintaining the mat, housing and burner in fixed relative position.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 426,596 Leeds Apr. 29, 1890 530,016 Cinnamon Nov. 27, 1894 641,992 Nussbaum Jan. 23, 1900 2,130,086 Hart Sept. 13, 1938 2,280,061 Cartter et a1. Apr. 21, 1942 2,310,116 Ratcliff Feb. 2, 1943 2,410,548 McCollum Nov. 5, 1946 2,605,821 Lindahl Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,066,551 France Jan. 20, 1954 Great Britain May 23, 1939 

